This invention relates generally to earth working apparatus, and particularly to devices which fine grade compacted earth around construction sites.
The prior art is crowded with numerous earth working tools and devices such as plows and cultivators. The objective of these apparatus is to thoroughly pulverise the soil at a maximum depth so that crops will develop mature root systems. For example, attention is directed to the cultivators disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,502,153; 2,835,182; and 2,545,735. These common garden cultivators employ a prime mover, such as a gasoline engine, to rotate a horizontal shaft having earth engaging digger-cutters thereon. The blades in each instance are designed to dig into the ground and pull up and pulverize as much soil as possible.
Almost every construction site must be fine graded according to a particular contour plan to ensure proper drainage and landscaping. The ground around the site is normally compacted due to the use of heavy vehicles during the construction phase. Normally, the fine grading is done by hand because there is no machine available which will reshape only the surface of the ground. Cultivators certainly are unsuitable for this job because they dig too deeply and thus produce an undesirable artificial surface which will eventually lose its contour due to settling.
Furthermore, there is a need in the construction field for a device which will accurately loosen the ground around and between concrete forms to insure complete and full slab depth and edge formation. One embodiment of the instant invention is designed to accomplish this purpose, and to thus replace the inaccurate and time consuming manual methods heretofore employed.